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Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: AndyArrow on December 18, 2009, 11:43:31 pm

Title: Needle Exchange Funding!
Post by: AndyArrow on December 18, 2009, 11:43:31 pm
From the Aids Foundation of Chicago --

Twas two weeks before Christmas, in the Senate and House, and a victory was afoot,
chagrining many a louse. While many will wish for dolls, balls, and trucks,
all we desire is syringe exchange bucks.

How about this for a Christmas story – Congress voted and President Obama agreed to save hundreds of thousands of lives. A tremendous victory for the HIV/AIDS community occurred this week when Congress passed and the President signed the Appropriations “minibus” Bill that lifts the 21-year old ban on federal funds for syringe exchange programs (SEPs). Local jurisdictions will now have the freedom to use federal funds to support these lifesaving programs. Thankfully, the bill did not include the onerous 1,000 foot rule, which would have barred federal monies for SEPs operating within 1,000 feet from several locations such as parks and schools. Currently, 12% of all new HIV infections in the United States are the result of injection drug use. 

Among the good tidings included in the Appropriations Bill the President signed yesterday were funding increases for HIV prevention and research, the Ryan White CARE Program, and the Housing Opportunities for People Living with AIDS.  Additionally, Congress voted to eliminate the abstinence-only funding and instead fund teen pregnancy prevention programs. 

While there is much to be thankful for this holiday season, AFC continues its tireless work to ensure that the HIV/AIDS community does not end up with a lump of coal. In that spirit, AFC, along with 34 other AIDS organizations, sent a letter to President Obama with recommendations for core points essential to creating a National AIDS Strategy that will advance our nation’s HIV prevention response and lead to lower HIV incidence rates.

http://www.aidsconnect.net/content/blog/congress-ends-twenty-year-federal-funding-ban-syringe-exchange (http://www.aidsconnect.net/content/blog/congress-ends-twenty-year-federal-funding-ban-syringe-exchange)
Title: Re: Needle Exchange Funding!
Post by: aztecan on December 19, 2009, 05:52:31 am
Syringe exchange was mandated by law in New Mexico in 1997.

I consider the program a great success. I could be biased though, because I operate one of the exchange sites.

But I think it has saved many lives, and even helps to protect the cops as well.

HUGS,

Mark
Title: Re: Needle Exchange Funding!
Post by: Ann on December 19, 2009, 11:44:12 am
Fantastic news - better late than never, I suppose. It's also great news on the hep C front. Hep C is much more likely than hiv to be passed on through needle sharing. Hep C can be a pretty devastating illness too, but it gets talked about even less than hiv. Thanks for sharing this, Andy!

Ann
Title: Re: Needle Exchange Funding!
Post by: pozniceguy on December 19, 2009, 12:12:56 pm
Woww   great news , so many naysayers in congress these days with all sorts of "moral" judgements and not backed up by real stats... I supported my congressman to vote for this... glad so many others seem to have done the same...  thanks for posting    .


Nick
Title: Re: Needle Exchange Funding!
Post by: BT65 on December 20, 2009, 07:37:46 am
That's great news.  I hope they get one started up around here, but it's doubtful.  A lot of people think that needle use has been totally replaced by smoking crack and meth.  But, it's still a huge problem.  A few years back, the police found a shit load of needles at a local park.  But still people are in denial that it's a problem here, as I'm sure happens in many places.  Great news, though, Andy.  Thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Needle Exchange Funding!
Post by: aztecan on December 22, 2009, 01:20:11 am
... But still people are in denial that it's a problem here, as I'm sure happens in many places.  Great news, though, Andy.  Thanks for posting.

Ain't it the truth!

Even in an area with a small population, such as where I live, we see a lot of syringe use. I take in about 4,000 used syringes a month in my little office.

In larger cities, like Albuquerque, the numbers are quite large.

HUGS,

Mark